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shadeyc's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This was not what I expected. TRIGGER WARNINGS: physical and mental abuse/child abuse/parental abuse, abandonment, death of animal on page, gore.
I am mad at this book. I am mad at the blurb writers. Again - this was NOT what I expected.
This is incredibly well written and powerful, and made me cry multiple times.
However, WHERE THE HELL ARE THE CONTECT WARNINGS!?!?!?! THOSE NEED TO BE AT THE BEGINNING. SEE ABOVE - YOU'RE WELCOME.
I expected to have some fun with some drama and tense shit and reveals and magic and then satisfaction. But no, I got ambushed by a story about abuse and abandonment that just happens to have resurrection in it. I'M MAD. AND SAD. BUT MOSTLY MAD.
Read this book, it's really good, but read it KNOWING what you're getting into. I feel like my rating could be higher if it wasn't so upset.
The characters are devastatingly human and suck you in. It's worth it. but protect yourself first.
I am mad at this book. I am mad at the blurb writers. Again - this was NOT what I expected.
This is incredibly well written and powerful, and made me cry multiple times.
However, WHERE THE HELL ARE THE CONTECT WARNINGS!?!?!?! THOSE NEED TO BE AT THE BEGINNING. SEE ABOVE - YOU'RE WELCOME.
I expected to have some fun with some drama and tense shit and reveals and magic and then satisfaction. But no, I got ambushed by a story about abuse and abandonment that just happens to have resurrection in it. I'M MAD. AND SAD. BUT MOSTLY MAD.
Read this book, it's really good, but read it KNOWING what you're getting into. I feel like my rating could be higher if it wasn't so upset.
The characters are devastatingly human and suck you in. It's worth it. but protect yourself first.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Animal death, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Child abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Injury/Injury detail, and Blood
Minor: Bullying and Gun violence
bookswhitme's review
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Animal death, Blood, Child abuse, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Gun violence, Murder, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, and Violence
porshea's review
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Growing up Black and a young woman is not for the faint of heart. Jessica Lewis, author of Bad Witch Burning, attests to this fact, pulling details from her own life to share Katrell, the protagonist of this novel, with the world.
Katrell is 16 going on 17 in modern day Alabama and her world is nowhere near as idyllic as the life led by Liesl von Trapp, although the love she has for those near her is just as complicated. As we begin the story, Katrell is still reeling from her mother’s decision to rely on the meager earnings she and her mother’s boyfriend, Gerald, bring in months after being laid off from a retail job. Though recent, nothing about this dynamic is new for Katrell, who has found herself consumed by concerns about making rent and enough money to cover utilities and other basic needs for most of her life. Because of her restaurant job and phantasmal connections she makes for clients, Katrell is unable to truly focus on school and plans to drop out as soon as she turns 17 in order to keep her mother from going to court. Circumstances take on a more dire dimension when Katrell stands up to Gerald and her powers amplify from simple communion with the dead to their resurrection. Seizing an entrepreneurial opportunity in bringing people back from the beyond, Katrell is soon raking in enough money to cover rent for the year in addition to the other expenses she’s been worried about. However, using her powers in such an extreme way puts a lot of wear and tear on her body—clouding much of her thinking and how well she manages school and work—something that does not go unnoticed by those who care for her.
Read more here: https://blackgirlscreate.org/2021/08/the-plot-thickens-bad-witch-burning/
Katrell is 16 going on 17 in modern day Alabama and her world is nowhere near as idyllic as the life led by Liesl von Trapp, although the love she has for those near her is just as complicated. As we begin the story, Katrell is still reeling from her mother’s decision to rely on the meager earnings she and her mother’s boyfriend, Gerald, bring in months after being laid off from a retail job. Though recent, nothing about this dynamic is new for Katrell, who has found herself consumed by concerns about making rent and enough money to cover utilities and other basic needs for most of her life. Because of her restaurant job and phantasmal connections she makes for clients, Katrell is unable to truly focus on school and plans to drop out as soon as she turns 17 in order to keep her mother from going to court. Circumstances take on a more dire dimension when Katrell stands up to Gerald and her powers amplify from simple communion with the dead to their resurrection. Seizing an entrepreneurial opportunity in bringing people back from the beyond, Katrell is soon raking in enough money to cover rent for the year in addition to the other expenses she’s been worried about. However, using her powers in such an extreme way puts a lot of wear and tear on her body—clouding much of her thinking and how well she manages school and work—something that does not go unnoticed by those who care for her.
Read more here: https://blackgirlscreate.org/2021/08/the-plot-thickens-bad-witch-burning/
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Animal cruelty, Physical abuse, and Suicidal thoughts
adancewithbooks's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Thank you to Delacorte Press, Random House Children's and Netgalley for the review copy in exchange for an honest review. This does not change my opinion in anyway.
Trigger/Content Warnings: Death of a Dog | Parental Neglect | Domestic Abuse | Physical Abuse | Emotional Abuse | Violence to a minor | Gun Violence
If you've taken a look at the trigger warnings for this book you will know right away this is a book that broke my heart. And it will break your heart too because everything about this book is so real. The author confirms she's dealt with similar situations in her own life in the past in the foreword. And you can tell.
Katrell can talk to the death with the help of letters. She doesn't mind and it earns her an extra penny to help pay with the rent. Which she mostly pays on her own. Her home situation is terrible. Her mom has no job and keeps with a dead beat guy who beats Katrell. They expect her to work and make money so they have a roof over their heads and can do 'fun' things. Katrells only break comes from her friend Will who lives with foster parents who adopted her. She is safe there, but only Will knowns the truth about her home situation.
After a horrible incident Katrell accidentally raises someone from the dead. And she realizes she can earn a lot more money to keep a house and maybe even get out of poverty. You can imagine how well that went.
So much about this book broke my heart. Of course we have the big themes but more than that it was the broken hearted girl in Katrell that she didn't want to show. The girl that couldn't believe Wills mom would hang up one of her pieces of poetry. The girl that didn't think she was worth of any kind of love. What her mom did to her was unforgiveable. But Katrell went back because that is the loyalty of a child to their parents. She didn't want to get her mom into trouble so she never said anything to the social worker at her school. Everything about this book was real and it hurt.
The only thing I have is that I would have liked a bit of world buiding on the magic. I realize this is obviously not the focal point of this book but if you are going to use it try and put in a little more. It was just a little too thin.
Having said that this book is heart breaking and so well written. One that you won't forget after reading.
Trigger/Content Warnings: Death of a Dog | Parental Neglect | Domestic Abuse | Physical Abuse | Emotional Abuse | Violence to a minor | Gun Violence
If you've taken a look at the trigger warnings for this book you will know right away this is a book that broke my heart. And it will break your heart too because everything about this book is so real. The author confirms she's dealt with similar situations in her own life in the past in the foreword. And you can tell.
Katrell can talk to the death with the help of letters. She doesn't mind and it earns her an extra penny to help pay with the rent. Which she mostly pays on her own. Her home situation is terrible. Her mom has no job and keeps with a dead beat guy who beats Katrell. They expect her to work and make money so they have a roof over their heads and can do 'fun' things. Katrells only break comes from her friend Will who lives with foster parents who adopted her. She is safe there, but only Will knowns the truth about her home situation.
After a horrible incident Katrell accidentally raises someone from the dead. And she realizes she can earn a lot more money to keep a house and maybe even get out of poverty. You can imagine how well that went.
So much about this book broke my heart. Of course we have the big themes but more than that it was the broken hearted girl in Katrell that she didn't want to show. The girl that couldn't believe Wills mom would hang up one of her pieces of poetry. The girl that didn't think she was worth of any kind of love. What her mom did to her was unforgiveable. But Katrell went back because that is the loyalty of a child to their parents. She didn't want to get her mom into trouble so she never said anything to the social worker at her school. Everything about this book was real and it hurt.
The only thing I have is that I would have liked a bit of world buiding on the magic. I realize this is obviously not the focal point of this book but if you are going to use it try and put in a little more. It was just a little too thin.
Having said that this book is heart breaking and so well written. One that you won't forget after reading.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Animal cruelty, Domestic abuse, Abandonment, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, and Gun violence
Parental Neglect | Violence to a Minorallisonwonderlandreads's review
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Well, shit. This book is unlike any other book I've read. Technically YA contemporary fantasy, this is the story of Katrell. Her power of writing letters to summon the dead gets a sudden, unexplained upgrade, seemingly leading to full-on resurrections. Katrell is the main money-earner for her and her mother and her mother's boyfriend, so she is relieved at the new potential business venture to make rent and keep the power on. Despite Katrell's best efforts to keep everything under control, both the living and the undead have other plans, and everything starts to spiral.
I see people write in reviews sometimes "this book wrecked/destroyed me," and I admit that is not a common reaction I have when reading, but in this case, exceptions must be made. I've been razed to the ground by this book. The gut-wrenching author's note and dedication at the beginning had me sitting up and paying attention even before page 1, and the story held my undivided attention for the duration-- a great feat, indeed. This book is not for the faint of heart. I was crying before the 10% mark, and that was far from the last time. I didn't track every time I cried because how ridiculous would that be... but it happened again in the final pages of the book, so at least we can agree it was intermittent right until the bitter but hopeful end. I attribute the emotional reaction not only to the content of the story but also to the author's vivid, cutting writing and matter-of-fact narration. There are no frills, just brutal honesty.
Let me give you some less emotional, more cogent points about why you should read this one: Katrell is savvy, hard-headed, and loyal. Her responsibilities weigh her down, with no horizon in sight. This is her difficult, gruesome journey towards something better. It's about accepting help and support, and realizing there is something better to look forward to, an unconditional love that is reciprocated and deserved. In a rare move for a young adult book, there is no romantic plot, the focus on friendship and (found) family and self-love.
This book is not meant to be an easy read. Trigger warnings include physical and emotional abuse, neglect, animal death, murder, and extreme poverty. If you are in a place to pick this one up, it's a powerful read, one that has thoroughly lodged itself in my mind, maybe my soul.
Thanks to Delacorte and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book, out 8/24.
I see people write in reviews sometimes "this book wrecked/destroyed me," and I admit that is not a common reaction I have when reading, but in this case, exceptions must be made. I've been razed to the ground by this book. The gut-wrenching author's note and dedication at the beginning had me sitting up and paying attention even before page 1, and the story held my undivided attention for the duration-- a great feat, indeed. This book is not for the faint of heart. I was crying before the 10% mark, and that was far from the last time. I didn't track every time I cried because how ridiculous would that be... but it happened again in the final pages of the book, so at least we can agree it was intermittent right until the bitter but hopeful end. I attribute the emotional reaction not only to the content of the story but also to the author's vivid, cutting writing and matter-of-fact narration. There are no frills, just brutal honesty.
Let me give you some less emotional, more cogent points about why you should read this one: Katrell is savvy, hard-headed, and loyal. Her responsibilities weigh her down, with no horizon in sight. This is her difficult, gruesome journey towards something better. It's about accepting help and support, and realizing there is something better to look forward to, an unconditional love that is reciprocated and deserved. In a rare move for a young adult book, there is no romantic plot, the focus on friendship and (found) family and self-love.
This book is not meant to be an easy read. Trigger warnings include physical and emotional abuse, neglect, animal death, murder, and extreme poverty. If you are in a place to pick this one up, it's a powerful read, one that has thoroughly lodged itself in my mind, maybe my soul.
Thanks to Delacorte and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book, out 8/24.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Animal death, Blood, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Murder, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Moderate: Bullying, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Drug abuse
sarahmreads's review
dark
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I received a copy of this novel as an e-ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Any and all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Katrell, for as long as she has lived, has had the power to bring ghosts back to talk with loved ones. One day, her power twists into the ability to bring back the dead to life. Katrell sees it as a chance to finally help her family thrive. However, what happens when this new power twists for the worse?
I warn you, please look at these trigger warnings before reading this book. I didn't research it ahead of time nor was it included in the document of the story itself. Therefore, when I read it and one of my biggest triggers happened in the first 10% of the story, it kind of threw off my whole experience. That being said, the topics covered are EXTREMELY heavy. Jessica Lewis doesn't hold back with how brutal and tragic Katrell's home life is, especially when it comes to her mom's boyfriend and her mom's lack of action and defending her boyfriend. It unfortunately is something that does occur in daily life, but everyone chooses to ignore it.
On top of that, we see its heavy repercussions on Katrell herself. She tends to be violent and even though she has her family's best interest in heart, she still gets betrayed by them every single time. And at the very end when everything hits the fan, she still feels like she has to defend her mother. As Lewis mentions in the beginning of the story, she has dealt with something extremely similar to what Katrell deals with, including homelessness at one point. I personally have never dealt with these things beside for the emotional abuse, so I can't speak to its accuracy in this context.
The plot was good. Typical case of new powers gone wrong. I wasn't a fan of how we immediately start the story with her using her original powers and then 2 chapters later her power twists into something else entirely. A part of me wishes that we got to see more of what her power was and slowly see it shift into something bad. Then when Katrell used her power more and more to bring people back, I liked that we saw her change with it. However, I can't say much else about the people she brought back. You could kind of tell from the beginning that something wasn't right and stayed that way for a bit until like a decent way through. As a result, the pacing felt off and the mystery not as developed as I would have liked it, since some other things are kind of just brought up and never fully explained.
In terms of characters, I had an extremely love hate relationship with Katrell. She was so oblivious to what was going on half the time, temperament issues, and greedy. But also caring to the core. I know that most of these traits come from living in her toxic household, but still causes for some unease reading from her perspective. I loved Will though, and her family. I kind of wish we saw more than just a friendship blossom between Will and Katrell, but with the ending it makes me feel weird thinking that.
Bad Witch Burning is a fast-paced story that you can finish in a day, but felt just a tad underdeveloped.
Katrell, for as long as she has lived, has had the power to bring ghosts back to talk with loved ones. One day, her power twists into the ability to bring back the dead to life. Katrell sees it as a chance to finally help her family thrive. However, what happens when this new power twists for the worse?
I warn you, please look at these trigger warnings before reading this book. I didn't research it ahead of time nor was it included in the document of the story itself. Therefore, when I read it and one of my biggest triggers happened in the first 10% of the story, it kind of threw off my whole experience. That being said, the topics covered are EXTREMELY heavy. Jessica Lewis doesn't hold back with how brutal and tragic Katrell's home life is, especially when it comes to her mom's boyfriend and her mom's lack of action and defending her boyfriend. It unfortunately is something that does occur in daily life, but everyone chooses to ignore it.
On top of that, we see its heavy repercussions on Katrell herself. She tends to be violent and even though she has her family's best interest in heart, she still gets betrayed by them every single time. And at the very end when everything hits the fan, she still feels like she has to defend her mother. As Lewis mentions in the beginning of the story, she has dealt with something extremely similar to what Katrell deals with, including homelessness at one point. I personally have never dealt with these things beside for the emotional abuse, so I can't speak to its accuracy in this context.
The plot was good. Typical case of new powers gone wrong. I wasn't a fan of how we immediately start the story with her using her original powers and then 2 chapters later her power twists into something else entirely. A part of me wishes that we got to see more of what her power was and slowly see it shift into something bad. Then when Katrell used her power more and more to bring people back, I liked that we saw her change with it. However, I can't say much else about the people she brought back. You could kind of tell from the beginning that something wasn't right and stayed that way for a bit until like a decent way through. As a result, the pacing felt off and the mystery not as developed as I would have liked it, since some other things are kind of just brought up and never fully explained.
In terms of characters, I had an extremely love hate relationship with Katrell. She was so oblivious to what was going on half the time, temperament issues, and greedy. But also caring to the core. I know that most of these traits come from living in her toxic household, but still causes for some unease reading from her perspective. I loved Will though, and her family. I kind of wish we saw more than just a friendship blossom between Will and Katrell, but with the ending it makes me feel weird thinking that.
Bad Witch Burning is a fast-paced story that you can finish in a day, but felt just a tad underdeveloped.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Violence, Physical abuse, Gun violence, Emotional abuse, Death, and Child abuse
Moderate: Abandonment, Bullying, Cursing, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
melaniereadsbooks's review
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Children's for an arc of this book.
Katrell has always been able to see ghosts. But after a bad run-in with her mom's abusive boyfriend, Trell realizes her powers have changed. Now she has the ability to raise people from the dead, and make some cash while she's at it.
This book was so interesting. I really empathized with Katrell and all so was going through. Will is also such an amazing friend and my favorite character! I liked the journey that Trell went through and what she had to do to come to terms with things. I thought there was great character development! The pacing was a little slow in some places, and Trell definitely didn't make the best decisions, but I enjoyed this book overall!
Katrell has always been able to see ghosts. But after a bad run-in with her mom's abusive boyfriend, Trell realizes her powers have changed. Now she has the ability to raise people from the dead, and make some cash while she's at it.
This book was so interesting. I really empathized with Katrell and all so was going through. Will is also such an amazing friend and my favorite character! I liked the journey that Trell went through and what she had to do to come to terms with things. I thought there was great character development! The pacing was a little slow in some places, and Trell definitely didn't make the best decisions, but I enjoyed this book overall!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Medical content, Mental illness, Physical abuse, and Abandonment
antonique_reads's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Abandonment, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Gore, Child abuse, and Animal death
Moderate: Drug abuse
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